Retain Top Talent with Core Traits

What is the Core Traits Assessment?
How do I assign the Core Traits Assessment?
How do I take the Core Traits Assessment?
- For Employees
- For Managers
What does the Core Traits Assessment Measure?
How do I use the results?
How do I coach using Core Traits results?
- Manager–Employee Conversation Guide
FAQs

What is the Core Traits Assessment?

The Core Traits Assessment is an untimed assessment with 40 behavior-based phrases using questions from Lewis Goldberg's International Personality Item Pool (IPIP).

How do I assign the Core Traits Assessment?

Managers can assign the Core Traits Assessment Workflow: a Pre-Loaded Workflow that assigns the manager and employee a to-do list with instructions to complete and review.

If the employee does not have a manager assigned, you will be prompted to assign a manager first.

Navigate to your Team roster.
Locate the employee you wish to assign the Core Traits Assessment
Select + Add Workflow
Select Pre-loaded Workflows
Check the box next to Core Traits Assessment
Select Add Workflows

Once the Core Traits Assessment Workflow has been added, you will see two tasks: one for the employee to take the Assessment and one for their manager to review and discuss the results.

How do I take the Core Traits Assessment?

For Employees

Navigate to your Profile and click on the Core Traits tab.
You’ll see short statements describing behaviors. For each one, select how accurately it describes you on a 5-point scale from Very Inaccurate to Very Accurate.
1. Answer honestly and as you are today — not as you wish to be.
Once complete, return to your Tasks and mark the task done.

For Managers

Navigate to your Employee’s Profile and click on the Core Traits tab.
Review results before your next 1:1.
Use the provided script and coaching questions to guide a short discussion.

Core Traits Assessment results should be reviewed and discussed within 14 days of assignment so the employee doesn’t feel left waiting.

What does the Core Traits Assessment Measure?

The Core Traits Assessment focuses on four traits, each shown on a scale with a population percentile marker:

Structure – preference for order, routines, and rules.
Pace – tendency toward busyness and speed of work.
Sociability – desire for and comfort with social interaction.
Assertiveness – tendency to take charge, influence others, and express opinions.

How do I use the results?

The Core Traits Assessment is most effective as a coaching and alignment tool. Helping you understand employees’ work styles and communication preferences supports stronger collaboration and creates a more efficient, effective workplace.

Core Traits results are BEST used to:

Kick off coaching conversations.
Learn about employee preferences for communication, collaboration, and pace.
Identify areas where a manager can provide support.
Build trust and alignment in the manager–employee relationship.

Core Traits results should NOT be used to:

Make hiring, firing, or promotion decisions.
Judge “good” vs. “bad” performance.
Replace regular feedback or performance management.

How do I coach using Core Traits results?

As a coaching and alignment tool, the Core Traits Assessment offers valuable insights supporting ongoing employee discussions. Highlighting individual strengths, growth areas, and natural tendencies gives managers and employees a shared language to frame conversations. This foundation helps create more productive coaching sessions, ensures alignment on expectations, and builds continuity across future check-ins. The following guide suggests ways to structure these discussions for maximum impact.

Manager–Employee Conversation Guide

Manager Script: "Thanks for taking the Core Traits Assessment. This isn’t a test of how good you are at your job — it’s just a tool that helps us understand your natural work style. I’d like to walk through what the results show and hear from you how well they fit. The goal is to figure out how we can work together in a way that sets you up for success."

Conversation Starters (Choose 2–3 relevant to the employee’s results)

Overall Fit

Did the results feel accurate to you?
Was there anything that surprised you?
Which part feels most important for me to know as your manager?

Structure

Do you like having clear steps laid out, or more flexibility to figure things out?
What helps you stay on top of details?

Pace

Do you prefer a steady pace or staying very busy?
How do you like to handle deadlines — early, right on time, or does it depend?

Sociability

Do you get more energy from working with others or working on your own?
What type of team interactions help you do your best work?

Assertiveness

Are you more comfortable speaking up right away or taking time before sharing ideas?
When do you feel most confident taking the lead?

FAQs

Q: Can Core Traits be used in hiring? A: Currently, Core Traits is for post-hire engagement and coaching only. It is not validated for hiring decisions due to raw percentage scores, not validated population percentiles. We may explore hiring uses once sufficient data allows for accurate percentile establishment. Until then, do not use it for hiring or employment decisions.

Q: Where do the questions come from? A: The items are adapted from Lewis Goldberg’s International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), a well-validated source for personality assessments. Norms will be updated as more employees complete Core Traits.

Q: Who can see the results? A: Only the employee and their manager.

Q: Can employees retake Core Traits? A: Not at this time.

Q: Will Core Traits change over time? A: Yes. Norms (population benchmarks) will update as we gather larger data sets. Additional improvement may be made if we (CareerPlug) and our clients have further appetite.

Q: Is this private? A: Yes. Results are private to the employee, manager, and account Admins. CareerPlug never shares them with peers or outside of your organization.

Q: Can this replace performance management? A: No. This is a coaching and communication tool — not a performance rating!

Compliance Disclaimer: Core Traits should never be used as the sole basis for making hiring, firing, or employment decisions. Use in accordance with applicable laws.